Prep Notes: Judge Chavez steps down as Valley football coach

May 3—Judge Chavez, a head football coach at three Albuquerque high schools, including his alma mater, has resigned at Valley.

Chavez resigned last Thursday, the Journal learned, and Valley has advertised the opening, athletic director Arlene Anglada said early Monday afternoon.

Chavez was a 1977 Valley High graduate and a former quarterback with the Vikings.

He coached Valley the last six seasons, going 20-36 with playoff berths in 2018 and 2021.

"It's been a great career," Chavez, 62, said. He started coaching in 1979. "I've had a good time. But at some point it's time to say it's over and I guess I'm at that point now."

Six times in his 11 seasons coaching Highland, Chavez took the Hornets — then one of New Mexico's large-division powerhouses — to the state semifinals. He compiled an 86-41 record at Highland.

He later coached at Cibola, where he was 38-40 in seven seasons, including state semifinal berths in both 2006 and 2007, his first two years.

But the Cougars cut ties with him in December 2012. In January 2016, Valley announced that it had hired Chavez as he returned home.

Chavez's career record stands at 144-117.

COMING AND GOING: No fewer than three of the metro area's elite girls soccer programs are changing coaches — two of those openings became official on Monday, and all three departing coaches won state championships with their schools.

And all three already have replacement coaches set up for the 2022 season.

St. Pius coach David Sullivan Jr. and Volcano Vista coach Samantha Lucero both officially resigned on Monday. Uwe Balzis at Rio Rancho recently put in his retirement papers.

Sullivan coached the Sartans to state titles in 2015, 2019 and 2020. But he has been juggling that job with duties at the club level with Rio Rapids and said "something had to give in my life. I was spreading myself too thin."

St. Pius has named Abigail Tarin as Sullivan's replacement. She was his assistant coach and also is a former player at St. Pius.

Lucero coached Volcano Vista to a large-school state titles in 2010 and 2019. Lucero has coached the Hawks since the school opened in 2007.

"I'm taking a break from coaching," Lucero said. "I thought it was time for some new blood and I want to spend more time with my family."

One of her former players, Ashley Williams — now Ashley Nieder — quickly was named as Lucero's successor. Nieder won a title playing for Lucero in 2010 and another ring coaching with Lucero nine years later.

Balzis was one of the school's original coaches when Rio Rancho High opened 25 years ago.

He has been coaching nearly 30 years, including four with Cibola and one at Moriarty before joining Rio Rancho.

The Rams won state under Balzis in 2007. He told the Journal on Monday that he was leaving the door open to some day return to coaching.

Longtime JV coach Todd Doss will coach Rio Rancho next fall on an interim basis.

ANOTHER ONE: Add St. Pius to the growing list of schools in the metro area that are going to be allowing eighth-graders to participate in high school athletics.

The next step, athletic director Jim Cook said, is to meet with the principals of local Catholic middle schools and hammer out the logistics going forward. It is expected they'll be able to compete next school year.

St. Pius' move came immediately on the heels of Albuquerque Public School's choice to allow eighth-graders to play high school sports. APS will be implementing this policy for the 2022-23 school year.

The metro area's private schools — all of them except St. Pius — already had the choice of allowing eighth-grade students to play up at the high school level.

STATE TENNIS/TRACK AND FIELD: The first state tournaments of the spring are this week.

Individual singles and doubles tennis are Wednesday and Thursday, with the team tennis portion of the event scheduled Friday and Saturday.

The Jerry Cline courts are hosting all the finals in Class 5A and 1A-4A. Doubles finals are 3:30 p.m. Thursday, with championship matches in singles scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

The 1A-4A team finals are 2 p.m./3:30 p.m. Saturday. 5A is 3:30 p.m./5 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Class 1A, 2A and 3A state track and field meets are Friday and Saturday at the UNM Track and Field Complex. The running programs begin at 10 a.m. Friday and 8:30 a.m. Saturday.

SIGNINGS: Three Sandia High athletes have signed national letters of intent: Christian Baker (soccer; Otero JC in Colorado); Francesca Federici (track and field; Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan); and Mariah Maes (basketball; Trinidad State JC in Colorado).

Magdalena High's star basketball guard, Joren Mirabal, has signed with Southern Virginia University in Buena Vista, Virginia.

THIS AND THAT: Eldorado freshman phenom guard Bella Hines has received a scholarship offer from the University of Utah, Hines announced on her Twitter account. ... Former Sandia football player, defensive lineman Sam Carrell, is transferring from Washington State to Texas Tech. Carrell went on social media to mention the change. ... Volcano Vista is still searching for a head volleyball coach. The school is accepting applications until Thursday. ... MaxPreps.com has named Rio Rancho's as one of the top 10 high school baseball fields in the country.